Quitters Never Win
by Not-So-Wicked Witch
Summary: What happens when Olivia keeps a secret? No time setting, EO pairing eventually.
1. Chapter 1

Olivia crossed and uncrossed her legs, and felt the restlessness in them building. It was a slow summer night for the Special Victims Unit, not a frequent occurrence. Everyone had been taking advantage of this, and catching up on paperwork.

Except for Olivia. She'd been distracted by her partner, Elliot. His blue eyes gazing intently at the papers on his desk, his shirt rolled up to expose his muscled forearms. She stood.

"I'm getting more coffee," Olivia said bluntly, "Want some?"

"Sure," Elliot replied without looking up.

Olivia sighed quietly and grabbed their mugs off the desks. She crossed the squad room and poured the two cups of coffee. After grabbing two packets of sugar for herself, she carefully picked up the mugs, which were a little too full.

She traversed the room a little more carefully, and set the mugs down.

"Thanks," Elliot grabbed his mug and took a sip.

"Uh huh," Olivia sat back down.

She felt like banging her head against the desk. It was horrible to keep a secret like the one she did. No one could no that Olivia was in love with her partner. Elliot was married, and had four kids. She wouldn't do anything to screw that up.

Olivia reached for her mug, and somehow managed to spill hot coffee all down her front.

"Dammit!"

Elliot looked up for the first time in hours, "What?"

"Spilled my coffee."

She stood up and walked to the locker room. Olivia opened her locker, stripped out of the coffee-stained shirt, and found a new one. As she was putting it on, she heard the door open.

Hastily doing up the top buttons; she turned around. It was Elliot.

"We've got a case," he said.

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	2. Chapter 2

By popular demand, here's chapter 2! Oh, by the way…

Disclaimer: I don't own SVU, Elliot, Olivia, or any character other than Karen. They belong to Dick Wolf, the genius behind the show.

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The rest of the squad was waiting for them.

"A girl was raped on Avenue A," Captain Cragen said, "She's at the hospital now. Liv, Elliot; go talk to her."

"Sure," Elliot grabbed his coat.

In the car, Olivia turned the radio on. Elliot abruptly switched it off.

"You never listen to the radio," he said, "What's up?"

"Nothing," she lied, "I just don't like the quiet right now."

"We could talk," Elliot suggested, "That's what we usually do."

"I guess…what do you want to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know. You see the Yankees game last night?"

"No."

"Me either."

Olivia chuckled at her partner's attempt. Seconds later, they pulled into the hospital parking lot.

Their victim was young, fifteen, maybe sixteen. She had flaming red hair, and blue eyes. But now, the life was gone from her eyes, and her hair was chopped up.

Olivia looked down at the patient file.

"Karen," she said soothingly, "I'm Olivia, this is my partner Elliot, we're detectives. Can you tell us what happened to you?"

Karen sniffled, "I was walking home. A man pulled up next to me."

"He was in a car?" Elliot asked.

Karen nodded.

Olivia waited for her partner to finish writing, and then asked, "Did you see the license plate?"

"Just for a second. It started with X and ended with 10."

"Do you know what kind of car it was?" Elliot asked gently.

Karen shook her head, "No, it was too dark. But I know it was a van."

"Alright," Olivia closed the file, "I'm going to need you to tell us what happened to you. Just take it slow. Where were you walking home from?"

"From my dance class, it's only a couple blocks away from home. This guy pulled up next to me in the car, and asked if I wanted a ride. I said no and started walking again. Then, someone grabbed me and pulled me into the back."

"There was another person?" Elliot's tone changed a little.

"Yeah, I guess," Karen's fingers clenched and unclenched nervously.

"Was it a man or a woman?"

"Another man. He's the one that raped me."

"Did you get a look at his face?" Olivia asked.

"No, he was wearing a sweatshirt with the hood up and sunglasses."

"How about the driver?"

"Yeah, I saw him," Karen paused to think, "He was white, about thirty, short blonde hair, and dark eyes."

Elliot looked up from the notepad, "Did he have any scars or tattoos?"

"No."

Olivia poured Karen a glass of water, "What happened to you after the second man grabbed you?"

Karen sniffled again, ignoring the water, "He pinned me down, pulled my pants down, and he raped me."

"Did everything happen in the van?" Elliot asked.

"Yes," tears welled up in Karen's eyes, "Don't you believe me?"

"We believe you Karen," Olivia said, "Is that everything?"

"Uh huh."

Olivia reached inside her coat, "Karen, here's my card. Call if you remember **anything**."

"Ok."

On the way out, Olivia said, "You didn't have to grill her like that."

"I wasn't grilling her!" Elliot argued.

"She's been traumatized, and you weren't exactly helping."

Elliot stared at his partner, "What's gotten into you Liv?"

"I'm sorry," she shoved her hands into her pockets, "It seems like we're fighting a battle we can't win. For every rapist we put away, there are five more out there, hurting people. What's the point of this?"

They walked the rest of the way to the car in silence. Once inside, Elliot said, "We help people."

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Let me know what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

Here's chapter 3! I do have this story finished, but I just love to make you wait!

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Olivia spent the night on a cot in the makeshift sleeping quarters off the squad room. She tossed and turned, unable to get comfortable on the lumpy mattress. But she knew that if she went home, she'd just end up sitting around feeling sorry for herself.

'_Why do I have to feel this way?'_ she asked herself.

The door opened a crack. Olivia wiped her eyes and sat up. Cragen stood in the doorway.

"I saw you come in here," he said, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, fine," she lied.

"Liv, what's up with you tonight?"

"I'm fine Captain," she assured him.

"Alright," Cragen clearly didn't believe her, but he wasn't going to press it.

The door closed, and Olivia lay down again. This time, she was able to get mildly comfortable, and soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

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Elliot drove home, wondering about Olivia. She'd never snapped at him like that before, and it worried him.

'_Did I do something?'_ he wondered silently.

He pulled into the driveway, got out of his car, and went inside. There weren't any lights on, which didn't do much for Elliot's coordination. He bumped into a coffee table, that he could've sworn was at least another foot to the left, and swore loudly.

A light upstairs flicked on. Kathy came down the stairs carefully.

"Elliot?" she asked.

"Yeah?" he replied through gritted teeth, rubbing his knee.

"Another late night?"

"Last-minute case," Elliot crossed the living room with a bit more ease.

Elliot and Kathy went upstairs, to bed, where he lay awake for hours. All he did was wonder what he possibly could have done to upset his partner like that.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Olivia woke up to the sound of the first people coming into the squad room. She quickly ran her fingers through her hair and smoothed out her clothes. Operating on about three hours of sleep, Olivia walked into the far-too-bright squad room.

Squinting from the sudden light change, she slowly made her way to the coffeepot. There was a fresh pot brewing, just the thing she needed.

"You all right Olivia?" a familiar voice asked behind her.

"Huh?" she turned around slowly, it was Munch, "Yeah, fine."

"Ok," he raised an eyebrow.

She poured herself a hot cup of coffee, careful not to spill it. Olivia crossed the squad room, to her desk, where she discovered a note.

_Liv,_

_Sorry for anything I might've done._

Elliot 

Her heart ached at the sight of his handwriting, many of the letters half-connected. Reading those words was almost too much. She crumpled up the note and threw it in the nearest trashcan.

"We have any leads?" she asked Fin.

"Nothin'," came the half-hearted reply.

"Great."

The squad room doors opened. Elliot came in, looking pretty bad. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he obviously hadn't shaved.

"You look like hell," Olivia smirked.

"You're one to talk," Elliot retorted, "You spend the night here?"

"Uh huh."

"Why?"

"Not your concern."

She turned her eyes down to some papers.

"What happened to us?" Elliot's voice drew her gaze upward, "We used to talk about everything. Now, it's like I'm talking to a wall."

"I just don't feel like talking," Olivia replied.

"Let me know when you do."

Two weeks later, Olivia couldn't take it anymore. She knew what she had to do. Softly, she knocked on the door of Cragen's office.

"Come in."

She pushed the door open, closing it behind her.

"What's up Liv?" he asked.

"I'm resigning," she told him.

Cragen's eyes widened, "Why? You're one of my best detectives!"

"I just can't do this job anymore."

"But-"

"Please don't press it."

An hour later, Olivia sat at her desk, staring at a single sheet of paper. It was an official resignation form. The fact that the AC was out didn't help the guilty heat that she felt coursing through her body.

'_Can I really do this?'_ she asked herself, _'Can I leave…for good?'_

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Yeah, another short one…but the next chapter's the last! And it'll be the longest, too!


	5. Chapter 5

Drum roll please! taps loudly on desk Here is the last chapter!

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She'd filled out everything except for one line: her reason for leaving.

'_What am I supposed to write? That I'm in love with my partner, who's married and has four children?'_

She simply wrote 'Personal' hoping that no one would ask questions.

"What's that?"

Olivia nearly fell out of her chair. How long had Elliot been standing behind her? She felt that she had to tell him.

"My resignation," she said simply.

She stood up to take the form to Cragen's office.

"Why?" Elliot's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"I-I just can't work here anymore," she stayed facing away from him.

Elliot's strong hand grabbed her arm, turning her to face him, "Please tell me," he plead.

'_What would Olivia hide from me?'_ he thought.

'_It's now or never,'_ she told herself, _'Might as well get it over with…'_

But instead of telling Elliot why she was leaving, she snapped at him.

"Dammit El," she growled, "Why do you have to make things so hard?"

Elliot quickly released his hold on Olivia's arm. The look on his face just about brought her to tears. He stared at her in shock.

"I'm so sorry," she bit her lower lip, "Elliot, there is a reason why I'm leaving," she took a deep breath, "I love you."

He stared at her like she'd just shot him in the chest, "What?"

She couldn't tell if he'd asked in disbelief, or if he hadn't heard her. At this point, Olivia didn't care.

"I love you Elliot!" she practically shouted, "That's why I'm leaving! Are you happy now?"

Tears streamed down her face. Elliot reached up and stroked them away with his thumb.

"You won't be needing this," he took the resignation form out of Olivia's hands and ripped it in half.

"Why'd you do that?" she asked.

"Kathy gave me a stack of divorce papers yesterday. She thinks I'm in love with you."

"Is she right?" Olivia prayed for a miracle.

"I'll let you decide."

Elliot slammed his lips into hers. The sheer force of the kiss nearly knocked Olivia back. She stumbled, finding stability in her desk as Elliot's hand traveled up her side. For that moment, they were the only two people in Manhattan. The squad room's other occupants disappeared, the traffic outside vanished. Even the birds ceased their singing. Nothing mattered, except this.

But, a chorus of catcalls and "Ooooh"s from the rest of the squad room abruptly ended the kiss.

"Damn!" Fin exclaimed, "Save that for later!"

"Careful you two," they heard Munch say, "The AC's out already, we don't need it any hotter."

Olivia laughed as Elliot flipped them the bird, earning him many expletives in return.

Cragen's office door opened, "What's all the commotion?" he asked.

Elliot cracked a smile, "I'm getting divorced!"

"That's good news how?"

Munch decided to answer for them, "These two have finally realized they're perfect for each other."

"And I'm staying here!" Olivia piped up.

Cragen smiled, "I knew you couldn't leave us."

"After all," Munch said, "We're one, big, sappy family."

"Alright everyone," Cragen rolled his eyes, "Get back to work, nothing to see. Benson, Stabler, take a break."

"Ok Captain," Elliot snaked his arm around Olivia's waist.

The two detectives walked down the block for a real cup of coffee. They sat at a corner table in a small coffee shop.

"How long?" Elliot asked.

"What?" Olivia looked up from her coffee.

"How long have you…y'know."

"Probably…for about a year. You?"

"Not sure. I just up and realized it one day."

Olivia laughed nervously, "Things are really going to be different now."

"Yeah, but I'll have you."

"I love you Elliot Stabler," she took his hand in hers.

"And I love you, Olivia Benson," he leaned across the table to capture her lips in a tender kiss.

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Please let me know what you think! And, be on the look-out for part 2, "Winners Never Quit"!


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